It is one thing to teach a skater how to do something and another to polish, improve, add height, etc.

Brian has added a TON to Yu-Na's skating. He is also the coach who helped Rippon get his triple axel. Rippon was ignored under Morozov and skated like hell this fall as he was trying to basically train himself. Within a month after Nationals of working with Orser, Rippon was FANTASTIC and better than ever at Jr Worlds.

This is why I think people should give the Brian Orsers and Yuka Satos their due. Not only were they fabulous 'skaters skaters', they both competed at the top level and had issues with confidence/consistency that they eventually overcame. It will be invaluable to their skaters.

If it's true, I hope it IS a good change. My heart (unlike yours) sinks a little on hearing about all these coaching changes right before Olympic season. It seems desperate. But whatever is really happening, I hope it works out well for Caroline.

It does seem desperate, and I agree that the Olympic season is not the best time for a coaching change. But Caroline will hardly be the only one in that situation, and it's always better late than never.

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." Alan Cohen

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." Alan Cohen

Hmm, interesting...

I think it's just as good as official now, lol.

Rumour around the rink is that Caroline might be making a move to Florida. Are any other prominent coaches besides Don Laws and Richard Callaghan based there? I really hope Don Laws is the chosen one.

I have no info, but I want to chime in that Don Laws would be *perfect*. Besides whatever his coaching skills, I think it would be immensely valuable for her to have Patrick Chan as a training mate. Actually, before COI went defunct, I thought how nice it would've been last summer if they had toured together on COI. Imagine some of the skating skills, speed, and edging from Patrick rubbed off on Caroline!!! And Caroline can maybe inspire him with a little more grace and extension (not that he's below average in either, but I think he can improve in both, and from his interviews it sounds like he has to fight a lot of external influences that categorize grace/extension as uncool in a male skater). I don't know how much time Patrick actually spends down in FL (I hope a lot, as it is the Olympic season, and he should maximize the amount of time he can spend with his coach), but I think whatever training time they can share would be really great for Caroline!

The way you've built it up now, feraina...I'd be so crushed if Caroline doesn't end up going to Don. There is a downside to her moving to Florida, though - how will you be able to keep track of her?

I could be wrong, but didn't Mr. Laws help out with Chen Lu at some point? It could even be that Li Mingzhu, knowing she couldn't help Caroline any further, recommended Don Laws as a replacement. And Patrick was at the WTT; could it be that Caroline and her mom met Don at the event and things progressed from there? I expect Mr. Laws is getting on in years, though, so maybe he wouldn't have travelled all the way to Japan just for a glorified cheesefest.

You have to wonder if they sought out Frank Carroll as well. I'm willing to bet this change was thought out for a while, as was Mirai's. One must wonder if Frank Carroll and Shep Goldberg wanted to work so closely together again. Shep is usually very involved, so he likely helped set up whatever coaching change is happening.